The Obstacle Course Known As Childhood. An Essay About The Difficulties Of Childhood Using "To Kill A Mockingbird" By Harper Lee As Its Source

811 words - 4 pages

One of the most difficult time in a person's life is childhood. It is a time where human beings are trying to understand the world around them. This is how it is for the lives of the fictional characters Scout, Jem, and Dill in the novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee. The children have a difficult time in the novel because of the opinion of others, the events of Maycomb, and the conflicts of emotions.In the novel Scout and Jem have to face people's opinions that are considered morally wrong. The majority of people who live in the town of Maycomb show racism towards African-Americans. A lot of people's thoughts were like this because of the environment they lived in. Racism was clearly seen during the trial of Tom Robinson. Atticus, the defending lawyer and father of Scout and Jem proved to the jury that Tom Robinson was definitely innocent. The jury knowing of Tom's innocence still gave a guilty verdict because of Tom's skin color. Scout and Jem ...view middle of the document...

Scout just wants to be friends with good folks. The difference of views clash when Alexandra does not permit Scout to be friends with Walter Cunningham because Alexandra believes Walter is trash.During the novel the children faced many hard situations in the town of Maycomb. Scout and Jem were afraid of Mrs. Dubose. She was a mean old lady that disliked their father for defending an African-American. Actions by Jem lead them to have to read to her. They disliked this very much. Dill had to face how Mr. Gilbert talked to Tom during the trial. Mr. Gilbert's cross-examination of Tom sounded like he had a hatred for African-Americans. According to Dill, "It was the way he said it made me sick, plain sick."(199, ch.19)Scout and Jem had a difficult time when Bob Ewell attacked them. Scout and Jem are children and would have a hard time physically fending off Bob as he is much stronger then Scout and Jem. Luckily Boo Radley came to save them in time.The children in the novel were very emotional. The pressures of the people around them had a role in the emotions they felt. In the novel Scout felt angry for numerous reasons. She had felt angry about getting in trouble in the classroom and hearing the insults of the children. These events led to her physical fights against others. Later Atticus told her not to fight others. This had to be complicated for her since she had to hold her anger back. Jem also showed his anger in the book. His anger was towards Mrs. Dubose for the insults of his father. He destroyed Mrs. Dubose's flowers because of his anger. In the book it is described like this:"What Jem did was something I'd do ... There was nothing to say."(102, ch.11)Scout and Jem had a great deal of love for their father Atticus in the novel. Thought they loved their father they still disobeyed him at times. Things such as bothering Boo Radley where disapproved by their father yet where still done. This did lead to disputes between them.Scout, Jem and Dill had a difficult time growing up in Maycomb. They handled their emotions with complications. They had to deal with the endeavours of Maycomb. They heard the conflicting opinions of others. These reasons are why this time in life is hard. That is why it is the obstacle course known as childhood.

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prejudice, rumors and
stories, and just evil in general. For the past 70+ years, Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" has
- 4
been read by many people, of all ages and race. Because of it's individualism and uniqueness, in
that Lee is the only author known to have developed this theme, this book will most likely remain
famous and thought-provoking in the next 70+ years as well, as well as continue as one of the
most outstanding books in the past century.

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